When I talked about the reasons for creating the Creators' Pool platform, one of the things I pointed out was the need to escape to artistic and creative spaces in hopes of finding some peace of mind. Whether it was diving into old marketing campaigns and posters or finding that perfect classical tune, I had gotten used to finding solace in the beauty of what people have created for theirs, and our, souls.
Exploring, researching and appreciating fashion, on the other hand, is a concept that, in relation to my familiarization with all the other creative fields, is relatively new to me. Most of my life I was in some kind of sports gear, running from school to practice to sleep (on repeat), so when I finally decided it was time to develop some style (let me use this term lightly), I gravitated towards what was cool, and not what was me; I wanted to finally adapt to my surroundings.
While I was buying my first “trendy“ pieces of clothing, on the other side of town was a tiny browned eyed girl, who had already then, established her whole persona through what she wore and how she wore it. She was, and is, the epitome of „I am doing what I like“, and it shows in the best way possible. Fast forward a couple of years, that same girl will be the one who will, day by day, start opening the doors for me in regards to the world of fashion, the big names, brands, fashion weeks, the ups and downs of the modeling industry, and many other things I couldn't even imagine to think about. She would also be the one tell me about KLISAB.
Who? (and what)
Tomislav Kliškinić and Marko Šabarić are the men of the hour (or the article) and, coincidentally enough, they founded KLISAB about the same time I met Nika.
„The beginning of our brand is tied to 2014 and the Fashion Incubator competition. It was then that we, for the first time, designed something together. We knew each other before then, through college and some work we did afterwards, but the beginning of our joint design work, and what you know today as KLISAB, is connected to the Fashion Incubator.“
Fashion Incubator, being known as a nice booster for many up and coming names in the fashion industry, absolutely did its magic and helped Tomislav and Marko launch their career as well.
How? (part: teamwork)
Besides asking about the factual „how come's“ and „why's“ of their beginning, there was something intriguing about two, at first glance, pretty different couple of humans deciding to join forces and create, what would become, an incredible and ever-intriguing clothing line. From a psychologist's perspective, there are a number of factors to consider when assessing the potential success of teamwork, so I decided to ask the guys about their dynamic, how and why they knew they were a match, and what their work relationship looks like today.
„While working together before the Fashion Incubator, we realized we shared some core values such as our work ethic, aesthetic and ambition, which initially made us believe we could work together, successfully.
Over time, though, we have realised it isn't just the things we share, but also the things that we don't – the things that we have different views of, that help us deliver on the end result.“
And so once again, the theory has been confirmed in practice. How ever different two people may be, there must exist some core values that would make relying on one another possible. Or, to phrase it in a different light – a person can be as different from you as the yin is from the yang, but if the mutual purpose is balance, if your ideals, morals and values are aligned… you may as well call that opposing force your friend. I know I do.
How? (part: creative process)
Aside from having to make all of the final decisions together, there is one other huge component a creative duo shares - the creative process. It is complex enough for one person to navigate through their own creative process, but for two people to be working on the same pieces in harmony, coordinating their processes, is a different kind of skillset. An artfrom, if you wish. I would guess that Marko and Tomislav have been working together for so long that they have now automated their cooperation and have realized what it takes to work together, seeing how they did not mention their creative processes as separate pieces, but rather went on to describe the process as a whole.
„KLISAB design is most oftenly created through, and stems from, exploration. The material and technique are, in most cases, the starting points of an idea, while the final shapes of a product, a design, are being formed during the process of exploring and playing with the different, aforementioned, materials and techniques. Different approaches in the process ultimately lead to different creative solutions, some of which are used and accepted for the collection in question, some of which we decide to store, keep and save for our future collections. That would be the main reason for the „flow“ you recognize in our collections.“
Accessoire and… a message?
Aside from the subtle flow that I couldn't possibly miss researching and following KLISAB throughout the years, one other thing that stood out to me was the pedestal KLISAB accessoire was put on – the thought and detail put into highlighting the small but important statement pieces was inspiring. Marko and Tomislav specifically note the importance that multifuncionality and quality have in their accessoire designs.
The first ever piece I fell in love with of KLISAB's was the KLISAB bag, and by the dedication and thought put into that aspect of their brand, it is no wonder so many people are in love with every new design, twist and expression these two creative minds come up with.
In general, the notion of uplifting a simple outfit with an A-level bag, a cozy look with some extraordinary sunglasses – it all very much does fit the credo of fashion itself. It takes just one piece to (re)invent who you are for the day, for the week, or what you want your brand to be for the next season, or even the rest of your future on the fashion scene.
Consequentially, what designers decide to create, the story they decide to write, message they want to send through a piece created, is something that will be used to separate the designers who are important for today's fashion scene, from the ones who are present merely for the forgettable visual beauty of their creations. Today, more than ever, it isn't just about trends. It's about a creative director who is passionate, who is a leader, unafraid to speak up and speak out, create change through their creations.
For one, I am in complete awe of genuinely all the pieces from KLISAB's past five-to-six collections - they are bold, they have character, they have this aforementioned flow - a creative, everlasting, personal stamp and connectedness. They are original, and bring together patchwork and elegance in a way I, personally, have never seen before.
Going back to their handbags, they are the ultimate representation of less being more, an ode to elegance, but not unnecessary extravagance - just like the rest of their accessoir line.
Despite wholeheartedly admitting to the dazzling effect KLISAB creations have on me, lately I have found myself searching for more than just beauty and simple pleasures of aesthetics in things that surround me. It might not seem fair or necessary to people to open up a conversation of this sort, in this context - to not let you just enjoy fashion - but I wouldn't stay true to myself if all I did was conform and stay inside the narrow margins of what we are "supposed to" do, think or talk about. So what I asked Marko and Tomislav in the final section of our conversation was about the greater picture of fashion - the possibility of moving fashion in new directions, while including, supporting and celebrating everyone.
A (lack of) responsibility?
Because I believe that a platform is a privilege and should be used to the best of one's abilities, I had to tackle one of the big hurdles in the fashion industry today – that one of size-inclusivity. KLISAB, although having included non-model figures in their past campaigns, have not been creating all-inclusive clothing, and being a friend of the brand, I wanted to find out why that was, what the future holds in that regard, and if there was a possibility of KLISAB opening their eyes, and then doors, to women of, truly, all sizes.
„There are two different aspect of a brand – the clothes and the communication."
"KLISAB clothing, creation and size availability is directly in relation to everyday needs of real women. If that wasn't so, we wouldn't have clients from different age groups, with different body shapes and sizes and different personal styles. What makes this easier is the fact that we are esthetically inclined to have an oversized silhouette, so it's a one-size-fits-more (sizes). The reason KLISAB is producing oversized clothes isn't because we wanted to get with the trend of inclusivity, which we do support. We create and design clothes for one simple reason – because we like it. Moreover, KLISAB clothing celebrates differences and it stems from the way the clothes realistically live.“
„As for the communications aspect of the brand, putting an emphasis on inclusivity for KLISAB feels limiting, as if we would be unnecessarily highlighting one of its qualities, which is already well known to our audience. We can also talk about exploitation and opportunism that comes with that sort of a message, which we also recognized in some of the campaigns on the current market, that we wouldn't want associated with our brand.“
Opportunism or dedication to the cause?
Instead of dissecting the previous quote and ending the article on a sour note, I decided to share some valuable information and possibly give people - all of us - an opportunity to grow. Firstly, when you are who you say you are, when you create what you believe in and when you stand behind what you present to the world – there is no room for any conversation and blame regarding topics such as exploitation or opportunism. And in a few short paragraphs, we shall discuss it.
Aurora James knew that she wanted to design and create luxury, handmade products, but on her road to success, she didn't forget to include the very people who, more often than not, get massively exploited in this industry. For the workers in the African countries, as well as setting an example for anyone wanting to follow in her footsteps, as a true trailblazer she is, she went on to create and sustain artisanal jobs while founding her first fashion brand, Brother Vellies.
Fast forward seven years, Aurora James seems to be one of the few people that is aware of the economic inequalities while also doing something about it. In 2020, (and probably long before) Aurora became aware that the corporate America wasn't going to, all of a sudden, start giving opportunities to Black business-owners, artists and designers without proper initiative, so she brainstormed, planned, organised, she pushed, she created, and she made it happen so that now a number of huge companies like Ulta Beauty, Macy's, Old Navy, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom and more, pledged to hold 15% of Black owned brands on their shelves, in their stores, thanks to the 15 Percent Pledge initiative, that she founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the midst of a social uproar, amid the never-ending police brutality over BPOC in the USA.
There was no hidden agenda. Aurora James did not chase a gap in the market; she saw inequality, injustice, she saw people being treated unfairly, and instead of going about her life, thinking about whether she would be judged for taking opportunistic action, she actually took action, and directly helped countless of people, and inspired and gave hope to hundreds of millions.
My point is, if you want to create change, you are not to be bothered by what the public will perceive as exploitation. You create change because you believe it is utterly necessary. Because you care for the people who are being mistreated, forgotten, bullied, put aside, let down. If you care about creating change, you will find a way to create the change, not look for reasons not to.
There are spectators, consumers, even designers, who believe that fashion is just creating pretty things – that there is no moral, or any other type of obligation for designers to use their platform for more, for better, for a greater cause. And I guess we all have our opinions, and in this world many things are indeed grey. But if you can take one thing away from this article, let it be this: yes, you can do anything you want with your money, your fame, your abilities and opportunities, but creating space for people less fortunate, but equally as talented, the underrepresented, the loud ones who had their voices silenced – your legacy will be attached to a picture much greater than you ever have imagined. Open your eyes and your heart, and dedicate a portion of your time to those who need it. Maybe one day, because of you, two friends will be able to walk into a store and be able to buy the same pair of jeans, even though they are ten sizes apart. Maybe one day, because of you, a boy won't be scared to wear a dress - which he loves dearly - to school, because he is afraid he will be beaten for doing so.
Maybe one day, because of you, it won't be courageous to speak your mind and fight for human rights through forms of creative expression - maybe it will be normal.
Maybe one day.
An important message KLISAB wanted to share with the world?
„We feel joyful about everything KLISAB brings to this world – to us, and to everyone enjoying the brand. There is a certain type of recognition between ourselves and the heterogenous environment in which the brand is set in. We feel privileged to be able to do what we love, and all of it is possible with the support KLISAB gets through each and every new collection.“
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